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Where is Maisy?

Maisy is a much-loved character amongst young children and Lucy Cousins’ bright, cheery illustrations are instantly recognisable. Her books are a hugely successful brand (including a television series, website and toys) but part of the reason for that success is the simplicity of her approach and the fact that different books are suitable for different ages.

This simple lift-the-flap book is ideal as a first baby book but would be enjoyed for a long time. Maisy hides and you have to look for her on each page. It’s a common concept for an early book but this one is nicely executed. Each flap is a different shape with a slightly different angle of opening, so plenty of opportunity for older babies to practise their dexterity. There are different animals hiding behind each flap, giving you lots to talk about whilst reading. The question is the same on each page – “Is Maisy in the boat?” “Is Maisy in the wardrobe?” – and the repetition will therefore help with comprehension and word recognition. The illustrations are as always: simple, bright, high contrast and charming.

Enjoy reading this by exaggerating the suspense on each page and over-dramatising ‘No, not here!’. Young children, once they learn to speak, can start to offer the response themselves. Knock on the door to find Maisy at the end, and encourage baby to copy you.

2 thoughts on “Where is Maisy?”

I think the illustrations make them really appealing; they’re great for the very young as the language is simple and yet there’s usually still some kind of narrative in there. They are quite funny if you read a lot of them though, as Maisy is a variety of ages – she goes to both preschool and nursery, but is also able to cook gingerbread alone! It does give them longevity with children, however, which is nice.